BOSTON – One year after the first explosion there shattered her eardrum and her peace of mind, Lauren Vulcano of Northborough crossed the finish line Monday, claiming her first Marathon medal despite stress fractures in both feet.

"I’m so glad I made it," the 25-year-old graduate student exclaimed in the VIP tent, her mother and running mate Michele by her side. "I’ve never even done a 5K."

The Marathon was a first for both women, who crossed the finish line holding hands just after the six-hour mark.

"I didn’t know how far I could go," said Vulcano, who suffered stress fractures to both feet while training in January. After taking a walking boot off for the last month, she’ll now need to go back into it to fully heal.

Michele Vulcano convinced her daughter to run last fall, and the two formed friendships with members of Lauren’s "4.15 Strong" survivor team.

"We love each other," Vulcano said as she exchanged congratulatory hugs with other team members.

Vulcano estimates she and her boyfriend were less than 10 feet away from the first bomb that exploded last year. After three surgeries, she still has ringing and hearing loss in her right ear, where one of more than 70 ball bearings that struck her body landed.

"Enjoy every step," her best friend penned on her right wrist before the race. "Because I can," read her left.

Vulcano, smiling and pointing at her ailing feet, said she wouldn’t have been able to finish Monday without the help of the crowd – particularly near the finish line.

"I couldn’t believe how many people were still there. I couldn’t believe how strong our city was, waiting for everybody to finish," she said.

As she approached the spots where the bombs went off, she crossed herself and started to weep.

"I just started sobbing. I thought, ‘I can finally leave it at the finish line and go on with my life.’"

Vulcano knows finishing the race won’t heal her ear – which may require another surgery – or erase the painful memories from last year.

But, set to earn her dual license in school counseling and social work next month, Vulcano said she now steps into the future a stronger and more resilient person.

"I have a different appreciation for life than I used to," she said. "Every day really is a gift."

Brad Petrishen can be reached at 508-490-7463 or bpetrishen@wickedlocal.com. Follow him on Twitter @BPetrishen_MWDN.